Paphiopedilum sp.

Common Name | Lady Slipper Orchid, Venus Slipper

Family Name | Orchidaceae

Native to | South China to Tropical Asia

Only five Paphiopedilum species are known to be epiphytes, with the rest being lithophytes (plants that grow on rocks). They grow in shady understories of lower montane evergreen or seasonally deciduous forests ranging from Southern China to tropical Asia.

Most species temporarily trap their pollinators in their pouch-like lip, and none are known to offer any reward. Insects are lured in by the smell of nectar. Numerous species attract flies or bees with odors that range from foul to pleasant, depending on the type of pollinator.

You may see a variety of Slipper Orchid species of varying colors, shapes, and sizes in the Conservatory’s Potted Plants Gallery and Aquatic Plants Gallery.